As becomes the season it was party time and bells were jingled all the way on the opener. Yes, Jingle Bells, like you've never heard it played before - at least not since last Christmas (when F'reez gave us his heart more of which later). When the saxes stood up as a section the partygoers behind us erupted as if it were The Beatles at Shea Stadium.
Pete and Mark exchanging choruses rather than Christmas cards on Cole Porter's I Love You produced more 'oohs' and 'ahs' from the revellers. Not as many, however, as Alice did when she emerged from the wings in a shimmering, glittery, sparkly, figure-hugging green dress to sing Fascinating Rhythm - fascinating indeed!
Pete and Mark exchanging choruses rather than Christmas cards on Cole Porter's I Love You produced more 'oohs' and 'ahs' from the revellers. Not as many, however, as Alice did when she emerged from the wings in a shimmering, glittery, sparkly, figure-hugging green dress to sing Fascinating Rhythm - fascinating indeed!
Evenin' sang F'reez after 'Doc' Summers had blown an oriental blues intro. We skipped a few months to arrive at Paris in April and the old Basie/Wild Bill Davis arrangement is always worth hearing one more time.
Knarf, from the Maynard Ferguson library, originally written for American baritone saxist Frank Hittner and not, as I first thought, for Mr. Artanis, featured Robinson on alto and leader Lamb on trumpet. The band sounded great and the piano was playable this year as Graham Don proved throughout the evening.
Alice Grace is never less than outstanding as I've said, time after time and that is what she sang when making her second appearance - Time After Time. Also outstanding was Matt Forster on tenor. Matt now seems to be a regular member of SSBB.
A Christmassy Joy to the World by the band before F'reez returned to sing They Can't Take That Away From me - one of the all-time great songs by George Gershwin (much better than Summertime!)
I've Got Christmas saw Robinson and Summers having an alto joust before the appropriately named F'reez closed the set with Winter Weather and I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm. Graham Don kept the piano warm with some tasty chords.
A pint of Anarchy went down well which might explain why my notes from the second set are semi-undecipherable (well it was Christmas - your honour).
We Three Kings, in this case, Jamie Toms, Graham Don and Pete Tanton were the crowned heads whilst down front in the posh end the hoi polloi descended from above for some not so soft shoe shufflin'.
This second set was totally seasonal so we had Carol of the Bells (Hi Carol); Midnight Prayer (a number Alice picked up from Polly Gibbons when she appeared with the band); Ding Dong Merrily on High (PJ & SS); F'reez and Alice went walking in a Winter Wonderland; This Christmas (F'reez); Santa Baby - my favourite Christmas song, particularly when sung by Alice who, now in a shorter, red, off the shoulder number, outsexed Eartha Kitt in her interpretation. Matt Forster soloed.
Sleigh Ride was a roller coaster ride before F'reez and Alice duetted on the other's fickleness in Last Christmas. That was the end 'cept, of course, it wasn't! Christmas Song and Fairy Tale of New York being the response to the cries of 'More!'
This band sets an increasingly higher bar with each gig and they will do it all again tonight - if you can find a ticket scalper!
Lance.
PS: Forgot to mention the tenor battle between Toms and Forster that made the recent Wilder/Fury fight seem like handbags at dawn.
Michael Lamb (MD), Pete Tanton, Gordon Marshall, Dick Stacey (trumpets); John Flood Kieran Parnaby, Chris Gray, Mark Ferris (trombones); Steve Summers, Keith Robinson, Jamie Toms, Matt Forster, Laurie Rangecroft (reeds); Graham Don (piano); Pawel Jedrzejewski (guitar); Michael Whent (bass guitar); Guy Swinton ((drums); Alice Grace, F'reez (vocals).
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